Just a quick note to say that I have come to an understanding with E-Sangha, and anticipate that I will be rejoining in the coming days. Hopefully, good things will come from this for everyone, and the short period of trouble has been worth what may come from it.

Much better than conflict is ending conflict, of course.

They will continue to be strict in their policies, and that is fine. I think there is a way to seek to speak honestly, both for myself and our tradition, yet with a diplomatic and mindful sensitivity to the beliefs of others. So, I am hoping that it will be good and that "Right Speech" will prevail.

Given the conditions in the world (i.e. growing fundamentalist positions on many sides) couldn't 'Right Speech' quickly land us in a dumb silence?

...whilst leaving others in blissful ignorance?

It's tricky isn't it? One then assumes one has some elevated sense of truth (could I even say be more elightened) which could lead to prosthletizing, in an attempt to remove the splinter from the others eye ( and you know the rest of that proverb).

The problem is all sides seem capable of that, seems to be part of the human condition to think you are helping others see, if not the errors of their way, then the benefits of your way.

If Zen/zazen is about being in the moment then how do we re-act to world events/media anyway? Very rarely are they in our moment's. Even comments on here or e-sanga may not be worth noting as mere passing thoughts and moving on.

Got me thinking,

Kev
Both British and Irish :wink:

12-07-2007, 09:39 PM

Longdog

:lol: Well I can guess that we probably have similar views on politics :lol:

I guess being in Belfast your view of British Government is quite strong. Just remember it's the British Government at issue and may be some people but not The People.

I've started a thread to open up views on world events/politics. I find it hard to be 'Zen' about a lot of politics and things going on in the world.

I remember been away climbing in France for 4 weeks one summer at the nd of college and not seeing/hearing the news, then returning home to hear of some big local industrial catastrophe. It really struck me then, how could I not have known, I found it scary. Now I wonder do I really need to know?

It's amazing what goes on that we hear about and become emotionally involved in. But it's even more amazing (or scary) what must go on that we know absolutely nothing about. The puppet masters play the strings even with out us realising that we have strings in so many way from the food we buy, the way we travel to the way we rebel.

My monkey mind is raging tonight :lol: I should go and sit, or even better sleep before Beren wakes :lol:

In Gassho, Kev :D

12-08-2007, 10:16 AM

Longdog

Plenty to think on there :(

Yeh I manage in the sleep stakes better than Clare too, but I'm still worn out :lol: i asked her what she does/thinks about when breast feeding Beren and she said not much, unless it's hurting. May be we're missing out on hours of zazen in the breast feeding sanga :lol: :lol: :lol:

12-09-2007, 03:23 PM

TracyF

Quote:

I think our politics (whatever they are) will generally be held in our minds more reasonably and realistically when we practice Zazen.

I agree, Hez.

In the past, I would have thought Jundo was compromising too much by rejoining e-sangha. Now, I think it's a good idea. He can still get his views across by not being so blunt. What happened is people immediately got defensive instead of discussing. As a newcomer, I was completely confused by the interchange. Because hard lines were drawn, I didn't learn as much as I would have liked on that thread. There's several other threads on that site about rebirth and it's the same thing.

Maybe some of you folks can help me out. Intellectually, I can't wrap my head around the notion of requiring the belief in a literal version of rebirth in order to really understand karma. What am I missing here?

Also, why does thinking of the world in 'materialistic' terms automatically make you a nihilist? I don't split the world into material and spiritual. There are simply things we know and things we don't know (IMO). Nature is not cold, random and purposeless. It's miraculous.

Finally, why does being skeptical about some of the more supernatural aspects implied in the sutras prompt some people to think that you are interested in Buddhism only as some form of psychotherapy as a way to minimize your suffering? Personally, I was attracted to Buddhism because I am interested in gaining some wisdom and insight about the world. More importantly, this would help me to be a more compassionate person. I'm not prone to depression and my life has always been pretty average so I don't need some kind of psychotherapy to minimize my 'suffering'.